Inverter for die shoe



Aug. 29, 1961 E. HOLMES, JR

INVERTOR FOR DIE SHOE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 50, 1959 JNVENTOR. IEDWARD HOLMES,JR. BY 9% "W ATTORNEYS Aug. 1961 E. HOLMES, JR 2,997,969

INVERTER FOR DIE SHOE Filed Jan. 50, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

EDWARD HOL MES,J R.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 2,997,969 Patented Aug. 29, 19612,997,969 INVERTER FOR DIE SHOE Edward Holmes, Jr., 13375 Poplar,Wyandotte, Mich. Filed Jan. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 790,293 4 Claims. (Cl.113-49) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement an inventerfor a die shoe. The invention is particularly adapted for use in dieconstruction work in which a die spot operation takes place. Infunction, it is customary to replace the upper die shoe with the lowerdie shoe and to mount the upper dieshoe in the position of the lower dieshoe. This enables the die man to operate on the upper portion of thedie to considerable advantage as it renders the die easily accessiblefor operations thereon. In a machine used for this purpose, the lowerdie shoe has guide sockets or tubes which receive guide bushings whichare slidably mounted on guide posts depending from the upper die shoe.Whenthe upper die shoe is mounted in its normal position, the guidebushings, upon a separate upward movement of the die shoe, will slidedownwardly toward the end of the posts on which mounted and be retained:in such position until the die is again closed. As the socket, or tube,moves on to the guide bushing, it will move the guide bushinglongitudinally upwardly on the guide post on which mounted.

In operation, when the die shoes are inverted, that is, when the upperdie shoe is used as a lower die shoe, the guide bushings will slidedownwardly on the posts on which mounted and thus fail to function asguide bushings.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure wherebythe guide bushing, when the upper die shoe is used as a lower die shoe,may be retained in position to project above the post on which mountedand be releasable as the die is closed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a bushing retainerso constructed and arranged that it will automatically be moved into adie retaining position upon a supporting movement of a die shoe toretain a guide bushing in position for being embraced by a tube orsocket.

Another object of the invention is the provisionpf a device of thisclass which will be simple in structure, economical of manufacture,durable, compact and highly eflicient issue.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modifications and changes may be made inthe detail of the structure illustrated without departing from theinvention and it is intended that the present disclosure shall beconsidered to be but the preferred embodiment.

Forming a part of this application are drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the invention, in a different stageof operation,

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the invention, taken on line 33of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational sectional view of theinvention, taken on ilne 4-4 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the invention takenon line 55 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the invention, takenon line 66 of FIG. 1.

In the drawings I have illustrated a die shoe 9 on which is mounted adie section 10. The die shoe 9 is the upper die shoe but is illustratedas having been transposed so as to form a lower die shoe. The lower dieshoe 11 is also indicated as being transposed so as to form the upperdie shoe. Mounted on the die shoe 11 is a die section 12.

Extending outwardly from one face of the die shoe 9 are the spaced apartguide posts 13 on each of which is slidably mounted a guide bushing 14for the ball bearings 15 projecting outwardly from the inner surface andthe outer surface of the bushing 14. A longitudinally extended groove 16is formed in each of the posts 13 and projecting inwardly from thebushing 14 is a pin 17 which limits the slidable movement of the guidebushing '14 toward the end of the post 13.

Projecting from one face of the shoe 11 are the pair of spaced apartguide tubes 18 which have an inner diameter adapted to snugly engage thebearing balls 15 carried on the bushings 14. When the bushings 14 arelifted as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, they would slide downwardly to thelower ends of the post 13 unless there was some means to prevent suchslidable movement. To this end, I adjustably mount on the face of thedie shoe 9 a pair of plates 19 by means of the screws 21 which are eachprojected through a slot 20 formed in each plate 19 and threaded intothe shoe 9. Mounted on each of the plates 19 is a post 22 which carrieson its upper end a retainer 23 on which is pivotally mounted anengagement arm 24. The lower end of each of the posts 22 is rotatablymounted in a suitable hole as 25 and is adjustably secured therein bymeans of the socket type set screw 26. The inner end of each of the setscrews 26 is adapted to engage the inner face of the annular groove 27,formed in each of the posts 22, for locking engagement therewith. Thegrooves 27 permit the swinging or rotation of the posts 22 relative tothe plates 19. The upper end of each of the posts 22 is adapted to berotatably mounted in a suitable hole as 28 which is formed in the lowerend of each respective retainer 23. The posts 22 are adjustably securedin their respective holes 28 by means of socket type set screws 29 whichengage the inner face of the annular groove 30 for locking engagementtherewith. The grooves 30 are formed on the upper ends of the posts 22and permit the swinging or rotation of the posts 22 relative to theretainers 23.

The inner end of each of the arms 24 is pivotally mounted in a verticalslot as 31 in each of the retainers 23, the slots 31 extendingdownwardly from the upper ends of the posts 22. A pivot pin as 32 isadapted to pivotally mount each of the arms 24 in its respective slot31. The pins 32 are adapted to be mounted in suitable mating holesformed through the retainers 23 and the arms 24. The pins 32 arepreferably press fitted in the retainers 23 and slip fitted through thearms 24. The arms 24 are normally held by the springs 33 in an upwardlyswung position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The springs 33 have theirupper ends secured to the rear ends of their respective arms 24 and thelower ends secured to their respective retainers 23.

As the die shoe 11 moves downwardly, the tubes 18 will move on to thebushings 14 and there is then established a frictional engagementbetween the tubes 18 and the bushings 14. As the downward movement ofthe shoe 11 continues, the arms 24 will prevent the bushings 14 frommoving downwardly in response to the frictional engagement until thesearms are engaged by the lower ends of the tubes 18 whereupon the arms 14will rock into the dotted line position shown in FIG. 2. As the die shoe11 is moved upwardly towards its elevated position, the frictionalengagement between the tubes 18 and the bushings 14 will be such thatthe bushings 14 will also move upwardly with the tubes 18.

When the die shoe 11 is moved into an elevated position, the retainerarms 24 will ride on the peripheries of the tubes 18 and the bushings 14until they clear the bushings 14. When the retainer arms 24 clear thebushings 14, they will snap into a retaining position, engagingthelowenend of thebushings 1-4 sodas to, retain them in their elevatedpositions. .As the die shoe is moved into a closed position, eac of-thebushings 1'4 will be retained in its elevated position until itsrespective tube18 engages the adjacent arm 24 whereupon the arm 24 willswing into the dotted lineposition shown in FIG. 2. The tube 18 will notengage the retaining arm 24 until the guide bushing14 isentirely-enclosed by the tube 18. With this retainer arm 24 mountedinthis position, the person operating the die may open and close thedietas-often as desired without necessitating a manual retaining of theguide bushing in its elevated position.

By mounting the plate 19 by means of the screw 21 extended through theslot 20,- the device maybe adapted for use on devices having'difierentsized guide bushings 14. The plate 19also may be swung so that the arm24 may extend at various angles to the guide bushing 14.

fWhat I claim is:

1. In combination with a die shoe, a guiding post projecting upwardlyfrom one side of said shoe adapted to guide another die shoe; a bushingslidably mounted on said post; asupporting plate adjustably; mounted onsaid first mentioned shoe; a standard mounted on and projectingupwardlyfrom said supporting plate; a rockable engagement arm projectingoutwardlyfrom and pivotally connected to. the upper end of said standardfor'engagingthe end surface of said bushingand retaining the same in anelevated position on the post, and said arm being adapted to swingdownwardly for releasing said bushing for sliding movement on said post.

2. In combination with a die shoe, a guidingupost projectingupwardly:from one side of said'shoe adapted to guide another die shoe; abushing slidably mounted on said post; a supporting plate adjustablymountedon saidfirstmentioned shoe; a standard mounted on and projectingupwardly from said supporting-plate; arockably mounted engagement armprojecting outwardly from and pivotally connected to the upper end ofsaid standard for engaging the end surface of said bushing and retainingthe same in an elevated position on the post, said arm being adapted toswing downwardly for releasing said bushing for sliding movement on saidpost; and a spring for resisting downward swinging movement of said arm.

3. In combination with a die shoe, a guiding post projecting upwardlyfrom one side of said shoe adapted to guide another die shoe; a bushingslidably mounted on said post; a supporting plate ,adjustablymounted onsaid first mentioned shoe; a standard mounted on and projecting upwardlyfrom said supporting plate; a rockably mounted engagement'arm projectingoutwardly from and pivotally connected to the upper endof said standardfor engaging the end surface of said bushing and retaining the same inan elevated position, on the, post, said arm being adapted to.swingdownwardly for releasing said bushing'for sliding movement on saidpost; a spring for resisting downward swinging movement of said arm; andmeans for limiting longitudinal movement of said bushing on its post inone direction.

4."In combination withta die shoe, 2. gui'dingpost projecting upwardlyfrom one side of said shoe adapted to guide another die shoe, a bushingslidably mountedon said postja supporting plate adjustably mounted onsaid first mentioned shoe; a standard mounted on and projecting upwardlyfrom said supporting plate; a rockably mounted engagement arm projectingoutwardly from and pivotally connected to the upper end of said standardfor engaging the end surface of said bushing and retaining the same inan elevated position on the post, said arm being adapted to swingdownwardly for releasing said bushing for sliding movement on said post;a spring for resisting downward swinging-movement of said arm; means forlimiting longitudinal movement of saidbushing .on its post in onedirection; and means for adjusting said supporting plate on said shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS985,452 Roediger Feb..28, 1911 1,353,831 Gros Sept-28,1920 1,846,278Blazek AugnS, 1958

